Generational divide this, generational divide that. Most times, these divides are played up and manufactured for the sake of stirring up false separations within society. The boomers are doing this, Gen X is buying that, millennials are wreaking havoc on both the housing and avocado markets. But sometimes, generational demographics do reveal interesting behavioral trends—especially when it comes to how we travel.
The 2024 State of Student Travel Report from StudentUniverse, which surveyed 6,000 students between the ages of 18 to 25 in the US, the UK, Australia, and Canada, found that Gen Z is particularly dedicated to traveling.
For starters, Gen Z has travel plans: 78% of Gen Z travelers intend to take a vacation in the next 12 months. That trip is going to happen no matter what—18.3% of Gen Z travelers will allocate 40% or more of their disposable income toward their vacations. An additional 47.8% of respondents shared that they will be dedicating 20 to 40% of their disposable income towards vacation.
Disposable income is defined by Merriam-Webster as "income that is left after paying taxes and for things that are essential, such as food and housing." That means for Gen Z, behind the most basic essentials, travel is a top priority. This doesn't come as too much of a surprise. Other recent studies show that many people prefer travel or new experiences over gifts. There's also data to suggest Gen Z (along with millennials) are the most likely to travel for pop culture events in 2024, further expanding the motivations for young people to venture beyond their home bases.
"Despite ongoing economic concerns, student and youth travelers continue to prioritize traveling," said Will Jones, brand manager at StudentUniverse, about the report. "They put great emphasis on the value of traveling which can foster cultural exchange and expand their worldview. As we continue to see strong intent to travel from Gen Z we believe it is valuable to better understand the spending habits of this demographic which accounts for roughly 20% of the US population and boasts spending power in excess of $350 billion."
The dedication to spending on travel certainly isn't exclusive to Gen Z. In general, about 20% of Americans are willing to go into credit card debt in order to afford their 2024 vacation. But, even with such a high percentage of money dedicated to vacation, the actual amount isn't as high as you’d think. Only 10% of Gen Z travelers are spending $2,000 or more per trip. Most people are planning to spend significantly less—32% of Gen Z will spend between $1,000 and $2,000 per trip, 33.6% will spend $500 to $1,000, and 23.4% will spend $500 or less.
Even if the average Gen Zer is taking two trips a year that cost between $500 and $2,000, that’s still between $1,000 and $4,000 per year. In 2023, the average salary for a Gen Z worker was $37,300. It will take a lot of dedication and creative planning in order to pull travel off with such high costs of living and low average wages.
The good news for Gen Z travelers? There are some savings out there exclusively for young people.United Airlines just announced that they are offering a 5% discount on flights, just for being between the ages of 18 and 25. Beyond age-specific discounts, you can also find plenty of advice onsaving money on your next trip at Thrillist, whether that means finding cheap flights or getting a great deal on a hotel stay.
Looking for more travel deals?
Here's our running list of all the cheap travel deals you can book right now, and you can head here for all the latest flight deals plus cheap things to do and savings on hotels, cruises, trains, and more to help you plan for your next trip.
Opheli Garcia Lawler is a Senior Staff Writer at Thrillist. She holds a bachelor's and master's degree in Journalism from NYU's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. She's worked in digital media for eight years, and before working at Thrillist, she wrote for Mic, The Cut, The Fader, Vice, and other publications. Follow her on Twitter @opheligarcia and Instagram @opheligarcia.
